Refractory material with stainless steel and organic fibers

Abstract

A refractory includes a cement, a binder and a matrix. The matrix comprises both stainless steel fibers and organic fibers. The refractory can be easily cast, without additional steel reinforcement, into large fire wall 16 panels 10 capable of meeting the requirements of testing conducted in accordance with ASTM E-119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials in support of IEEE Std. 979-1994, Guide for Substation Fire Protection. The fire wall 16 assembly withstood the fire endurance test without passage of flame and gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste during a four-hour fire exposure. The assembly also withstood a 45? water stream for five minutes immediately following the four-hour fire exposure period. This is a stringent mechanical requirement, as all fire walls 16 must maintain their integrity before, during and after a fire, per the Universal Building Code=s definition of a true fire wall 16.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fire wall comprising a plurality of panels disposed between vertical beams, both the panels and the vertical beams being cast from a refractory composition consisting essentially of:
 (a) a cement; 
 (b) a binder; and 
 (c) a matrix material comprising 300 series stainless steel fibers and organic fibers, and a refractory aggregate comprising aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the panels have a pair of opposed end edges and wherein the vertical beams comprise a groove into which an end edge of each panel is disposed. 
     
     
       3. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the panels contain no additional steel reinforcement. 
     
     
       4. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the vertical beams comprise a steel base plate and wherein the steel base plate is encapsulated by a box cast from the refractory composition. 
     
     
       5. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the stainless steel fibers and the organic fibers are randomly oriented. 
     
     
       6. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the stainless steel fibers have a length between about 0.8 inch and about 1.2 inch, a width between about 0.04 inch and about 0.06 inch and a thickness between about 0.018 inch and about 0.022 inch. 
     
     
       7. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the stainless steel fibers are corrugated. 
     
     
       8. The fire wall of  claim 1  wherein the organic fibers are polypropylene fibers and wherein the organic fibers have a length between about 0.2 inch and about 0.3 inch and a diameter between about 0.001 inch and about 0.002 inch. 
     
     
       9. A fire wall cast from a refractory composition, the refractory composition consisting essentially of:
 (a) a cement; 
 (b) a binder; and 
 (c) a matrix material comprising 300 series stainless steel fibers and organic fibers, and a refractory aggregate comprising aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       10. The fire wall of  claim 9  wherein the fire wall contains no additional steel reinforcement. 
     
     
       11. The firewall of  claim 1  wherein the panels are cured at ambient temperature. 
     
     
       12. The firewall of  claim 2  wherein the panels can be adjusted in the vertical beams. 
     
     
       13. The firewall of  claim 2  wherein the groove in the vertical beams comprises a tapered edge. 
     
     
       14. The fire wall of  claim 4  wherein the steel base plate is recessed below the grade. 
     
     
       15. A panel for use in a firewall, the panel cast from a refractory composition, the refractory composition consisting essentially of:
 (a) a cement; 
 (b) a binder; and 
 (c) a matrix material comprising 300 series stainless steel fibers and organic fibers, and a refractory aggregate comprising aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide or a combination thereof.